Change in Management
by Abicion
Summary: This is like that time I died in Metal Gear Solid 3.


Black Lady was seductively sprawled across a couch in the Black Moon Clan's royal quarters. The pink-haired beauty glanced toward her master, who floated several feet from the floor in a meditative position. His only identifiable features were his bony hands, as a long, dark cloak completely obscured the rest of his body. Between these hands hovered a strange object; a miniature staff with a gray handle and a guard fashioned after the clan's inverted crescent moon symbol. It was decorated by an orb that resembled a smaller version of the glass globe Wiseman usually wielded.

Black Lady spoke playfully as her leader remained in silence.

"What is that thing, Wiseman? You've been working on it for a long time, so it must be important."

The glowing circles that comprised the only distinguishable parts of Wiseman's eyes turned toward Black Lady. He then answered in a deep, echoing voice.

"This is a new weapon I'm creating for you, my lady. It will allow you to finally defeat the Sailor Soldiers."

Black Lady tilted her head in curiosity, quickly taking interest in the strange object.

"It looks kind of like that wand Sailor Moon uses."

Wiseman appeared to be impressed by her perception.

"That's because it's closely based on that device. I've been carefully studying her abilities for some time, and I now know how she's been using those meddlesome powers of hers to turn your sisters against you."

Black Lady pouted briefly at these words.

"You mean the Ayakashi?"

The cloaked figure nodded to his minion's question before responding.

"Sailor Moon was able to break their minds and corrupt them for her own purposes. However, this will have the opposite effect. You'll be able to cleanse your enemies with the powers of darkness and lead them on the correct path."

He briefly paused in vile thought, then continued.

"If you use it to purify the Sailor Soldiers, they will no longer hate you."

A devious smirk grew on the young servant's face. As far as she could remember, Wiseman had always been the only person who didn't allow her to fall into complete loneliness, and she was excited by the prospect of making new friends.

"That sounds fun. When will I be able to use it?"

Wiseman let out a low chuckle before replying with a single word.

"Soon." 

* * *

><p>"Come on, Chibiusa! You have to remember!"<p>

Usagi desperately shouted to a snickering Black Lady standing on the rooftop above her. The evil villainness gazed down on the five Sailor Soldiers from the dark city sky, and her opponent's words quickly annoyed her.

"Are you still going on about that nonsense? It's about time I shut all of you up."

She had grown tired of Sailor Moon's ridiculous speeches, constantly trying to convince her she was actually some stupid brat with a mutated body and a major identity crisis. She shook her head a few times to rid herself of her rival's screeching voice, then lifted the crimson parasol resting across her shoulder and pointed it forward.

A streak of black lightning flashed from the top of the parasol, striking the ground below and causing the entire Sailor team to stagger backwards in pain. While her enemies collected themselves, Black Lady allowed the umbrella to disappear from her arms and summoned the new weapon Wiseman had given her in one hand. She giggled as she studied the small wand a final time, then thought out loud.

"Hmm... I wonder if this thing will really work."

She then narrowed her eyes toward her weakened opponents and raised the scepter into the air. Its jewel began pulsating with a black aura, and the Sailor team was quickly engulfed in a cyclone of negative energy. They were soon paralyzed on their feet, and the ominous cloud of energy split apart and began condensing around each girl. As the team was enveloped head to toe in blackness, the energy seemed to nullify their Sailor costumes and cling directly to their skin, giving them the appearance of nude obsidian statues.

But then, something unexpected happened. A brilliant beacon of light burst from the center of Sailor Moon's chest. The light overcame the darkness, allowing the confused heroine to safely escape from her cocoon with her Sailor outfit intact. She staggered forward, nearly collapsing as she caught her breath. Black Lady frowned when she realized Sailor Moon's crystal brooch had protected her and negated the effects of the spell.

Usagi's colleagues were not as fortunate. After being bathed in darkness for several more seconds, their bindings faded away and left an unusual sight. Each team member was clad in an altered version of her Sailor suit. They retained their original color schemes, but their white leotards had turned black. A similar dark trim accented the skirts, bows, and scarves of their uniforms. Most alarmingly, their tiaras were missing, revealing the Black Moon symbol now marking each of their foreheads.

Sailor Moon gasped when her teammates collectively turned their heads and deviously smirked toward her. Even more baffled than before, she slowly stepped backwards as she struggled to speak.

"Wha-... what's wrong, guys? You all look different..."

The raven-haired Sailor Mars answered first. There was obvious frustration in her voice.

"We've had enough of you, Usagi! Why should someone as stupid as you be leader?"

Sailor Moon's shocked expression now snapped toward the always-collected Sailor Mercury. The blue-haired fighter stroked her chin in thought as she spoke calm, but slightly sinister, tone.

"I agree with Mars. We'll never get anywhere if we don't change our strategy."

Sailor Jupiter cracked her knuckles and shouted next.

"Yeah! We shouldn't let someone as weak as you boss us around!"

Sailor Venus brushed her long golden hair from her face and spoke last, growling in envy.

"What did Luna even see in you when she made you Sailor Moon? I was a Sailor Soldier before you!"

Sailor Moon's eyes widened with horror as her four companions positioned themselves around her, forming four corners of a square with her standing in the middle. She frantically turned her head toward each Sailor Soldier as she continued to stumble through her words.

"What's... gotten into you guys... ?"

Her attention then turned upward toward Black Lady. The fiendish woman had watched the entire event unfold with a look of amusement on her face.

"What did you do to them, Chibiusa?"

Black Lady responded only by smiling toward her four new allies. In an eerily wicked tone, she then gave them their first command.

"Destroy her."

The brutal attack began before Sailor Moon even had a chance to defend herself. She was simultaneously struck by harsh streams of fire, water, lightning, and (strangest of all) heart-shaped lasers. When the violence ceased, her scorched and mangled body silently toppled to the ground. Her eyes remained wide open when she died.

Black Lady's elevated heels clicked softly against the concrete ground when she carefully landed in front of her followers. Sailor Venus stepped forward from her team, seemingly more concerned with introductions than the corpse now lying on the ground.

"We're sorry for mistreating you, Black Lady. May we still join you?"

The group's new matriarch giggled happily before she answered with a warm smile.

"Of course."

She then stepped forward and knelt in front of Usagi's fallen form. She reached for the decorative brooch on the deceased girl's chest, flipped the top panel open, and removed the sparkling jewel housed inside. She studied the artifact in her slender palm before Mercury quietly spoke over Venus's shoulder.

"That's the Silver Crystal, mistress. Are you going to keep it?"

Black Lady thought to herself for a few more seconds. A mischievous smirk formed across her lips when she replied.

"We're much more powerful than this silly toy. I don't think Wiseman will need it any more."

She closed her fist, crushing the object into worthless dust in a single burst of strength.

This battle marked the end of the war between Earth and Nemesis. The Black Moon Clan were the winners, and, as an added benefit, they had swayed the imperial princess and her bodyguards to their side. An odd man in a tuxedo and a cape was left as humanity's only protector, but the Black Moon family's numbers worked against him, and he was quickly disposed of.

Black Lady's team became the clan's first line of offense, and they used their magical powers to enslave the people they had once sworn to protect. Crystal Tokyo was erased from existence, leaving Wiseman's ambition to go unhindered.


End file.
